Originally Posted by
rustykettel
So for family allowances: Possibly. No. Possibly not.
I wouldn't bother. A) supposedly they're experienced enough, trained enough, and have the tools to make accurate duty assessments, B) the attitude of too many CBP agents is to escalate a situation if encountering any pushback or challenge. Unless the assessment is extremely off, better to either just eat or file an appeal later imo. My personal experience is most agents will waive duty when exceeding the exemption limits, seemingly rather than go through the hassle of doing so. If you're bring in clearly more than personal use or excessively high value items, I think that would have a different outcome.
SO, if you declare that you have jewelry or a watch or whatever that exceeds to exemption limit by thousands, the CBP officer might just waive you through?
Regarding non-spouses sharing allowances, its a little confusing. In the first part it sets three conditions. Then it provides a definition of "domestic relationship" but it is unclear to what this is referring since that term isn't used in the three conditions.
FROM CBP:
In accordance with
19 CFR 148.34(b) member of a family residing in one household includes all persons who meet the following three conditions:
1. Are related by blood, marriage, or adoption;
2. Lived together in one household at their last permanent residence; and
3. Intend to live together in one household after their arrival in the United States.
"Domestic relationship" would be defined to include:
- foster children, stepchildren, half-siblings, legal wards, other dependents, and individuals with an in loco parentis or guardianship relationship;
- two adults who are in a committed relationship including, but not limited to, long-term companions and couples in civil unions or domestic partnerships where the partners are financially interdependent, and are not married to, or a partner of, anyone else.